Heater Core replacement in a 95 Blazer
Softwolf
11-20-2007, 12:10 AM
Well, the deed is done:grinno:
Nice shiny new AC Delco heater core installed and no leaks or steamed up winders!!!
I took tons of pics. I will post at a later date in case anyone else in the same boat as me would like to see what they're in for.
I did subscribe to the AllData info like MT suggested as a reply to one of my prior posts, but honestly, it wasn't much help. The drawings for a 95 were too crappy to make any use of.
After deciding that I wasn't going to be intimidated by nuts, bolts and plastic, I just got on the floor of my Blazer and started by removing the passenger side kick panel, then working my way over to the driver's side. Moved up to the panel that contains the lighters and Emergency Brake release. I removed the wiring to the lighters then reached back and unhooked the e-brake cable from the arm it's attached to.
Next, I chocked the wheels, put the key in the ignition and pulled the shifter all of the way down and adjusted the steering wheel as low as it would go. Then I popped off the bezel and pushed out the 4WD button panel + disconnected it from the wiring and unscrewed the accessory switch panel (headlights, fog lights...). Put the bezel somewhere out of the way so it doesn't get broken.
Assuming that I was going to need to remove the ENTIRE dash, I then removed my CD player and HVAC controls, but I wasted my time there, since I eventually just moved the dash enough to access the heater core box.
Once you remove the speaker covers and defrost vent, you're in the home stretch. When you get those 4 screws out, the dash is basically free. But you need to remove the two upper nuts that hold the steering column in place to have enough clearance to do anything with the dash. You probably want to do this earlier in the game than I did.
When it looked like I was going be messing with wiring harnesses, I went ahead and disconnected the cables from my battery. Also, while I was under the hood, I drained the radiator and battled to remove the inlet and outlet hoses from the pipes of the heater core.
The hoses were firmly cemented onto the pipes. So after sizing them up, I decided that there was enough excess on the hoses to cut one inch off of the end to free them from the core. Don't cut them unless you're sure though - or you will probably wind up replacing them. I really had no choice though, I could have yanked on them until kingdom come and they still wouldn't have moved.
I ducked back into the vehicle and scooted the dash out enough to disconnect two wiring harnesses on the passenger side (there were more than two there - I just disconnected the two with the least amount of slack). At that point, I had good enough access to the black box containing the heater core.
Thank goodness with the 95 Blazers you don't have to worry about cutting any plastic to get to the core itself. It was very straightforward compared to what I read about the '98s, etc. Just unscrew the 9 or 10 screws on the box and one screw holding the core in place and voila! The object of so much misery and wet carpeting is gone from your life!
For the most part, I used a small ratchet and 7mm socket + a T27 Torx bit. The Torx bits that hold the speaker covers down are smaller, but I was so tired by that point I forgot which one I used. There are some miscellaneous 10mm's in there and Phillips heads, but for the most part, I could work at a steady pace with the same socket for a while - only scooting myself out of the truck to change CD's or get a drink. There were a couple of areas where I used a small extension and the top left hand screw of the heater core box required me to use a wobbler (because I was working in a tight space having opted not to fully remove the dash).
It was a 10 hour job for me working alone out in the rain (not bad for someone with practically no experience with repairing cars). And I'm not as sore as I was from replacing the CPI and nut kit, but this ranks a pretty close second.
Just one final note - I apparently pulled out a wire somewhere as now my driver's side door won't lock or unlock via the power lock switch on the armrest (the other three doors will respond when I press the button on the driver's side door) and the power mirrors won't function via their switch either - even though both features worked perfectly before this weekend. As mentioned, I only disconnedted two harnesses on the passenger side and both were reconnected on install. Any help from anyone familiar with wiring in a 95??? I'm clueless when it comes to anything electrical, so a schematic will do me no good.
Cheers,
Dawn
Nice shiny new AC Delco heater core installed and no leaks or steamed up winders!!!
I took tons of pics. I will post at a later date in case anyone else in the same boat as me would like to see what they're in for.
I did subscribe to the AllData info like MT suggested as a reply to one of my prior posts, but honestly, it wasn't much help. The drawings for a 95 were too crappy to make any use of.
After deciding that I wasn't going to be intimidated by nuts, bolts and plastic, I just got on the floor of my Blazer and started by removing the passenger side kick panel, then working my way over to the driver's side. Moved up to the panel that contains the lighters and Emergency Brake release. I removed the wiring to the lighters then reached back and unhooked the e-brake cable from the arm it's attached to.
Next, I chocked the wheels, put the key in the ignition and pulled the shifter all of the way down and adjusted the steering wheel as low as it would go. Then I popped off the bezel and pushed out the 4WD button panel + disconnected it from the wiring and unscrewed the accessory switch panel (headlights, fog lights...). Put the bezel somewhere out of the way so it doesn't get broken.
Assuming that I was going to need to remove the ENTIRE dash, I then removed my CD player and HVAC controls, but I wasted my time there, since I eventually just moved the dash enough to access the heater core box.
Once you remove the speaker covers and defrost vent, you're in the home stretch. When you get those 4 screws out, the dash is basically free. But you need to remove the two upper nuts that hold the steering column in place to have enough clearance to do anything with the dash. You probably want to do this earlier in the game than I did.
When it looked like I was going be messing with wiring harnesses, I went ahead and disconnected the cables from my battery. Also, while I was under the hood, I drained the radiator and battled to remove the inlet and outlet hoses from the pipes of the heater core.
The hoses were firmly cemented onto the pipes. So after sizing them up, I decided that there was enough excess on the hoses to cut one inch off of the end to free them from the core. Don't cut them unless you're sure though - or you will probably wind up replacing them. I really had no choice though, I could have yanked on them until kingdom come and they still wouldn't have moved.
I ducked back into the vehicle and scooted the dash out enough to disconnect two wiring harnesses on the passenger side (there were more than two there - I just disconnected the two with the least amount of slack). At that point, I had good enough access to the black box containing the heater core.
Thank goodness with the 95 Blazers you don't have to worry about cutting any plastic to get to the core itself. It was very straightforward compared to what I read about the '98s, etc. Just unscrew the 9 or 10 screws on the box and one screw holding the core in place and voila! The object of so much misery and wet carpeting is gone from your life!
For the most part, I used a small ratchet and 7mm socket + a T27 Torx bit. The Torx bits that hold the speaker covers down are smaller, but I was so tired by that point I forgot which one I used. There are some miscellaneous 10mm's in there and Phillips heads, but for the most part, I could work at a steady pace with the same socket for a while - only scooting myself out of the truck to change CD's or get a drink. There were a couple of areas where I used a small extension and the top left hand screw of the heater core box required me to use a wobbler (because I was working in a tight space having opted not to fully remove the dash).
It was a 10 hour job for me working alone out in the rain (not bad for someone with practically no experience with repairing cars). And I'm not as sore as I was from replacing the CPI and nut kit, but this ranks a pretty close second.
Just one final note - I apparently pulled out a wire somewhere as now my driver's side door won't lock or unlock via the power lock switch on the armrest (the other three doors will respond when I press the button on the driver's side door) and the power mirrors won't function via their switch either - even though both features worked perfectly before this weekend. As mentioned, I only disconnedted two harnesses on the passenger side and both were reconnected on install. Any help from anyone familiar with wiring in a 95??? I'm clueless when it comes to anything electrical, so a schematic will do me no good.
Cheers,
Dawn
JoulesWinfield
11-21-2007, 11:36 AM
It sounds like you may have pulled another connector on the drivers side unknowingly. You can pull the switch panel off the drivers door pretty easily to make sure those connectors are all tight.
After that you will need to check under the drivers side dash. There is a black box that has the relays for the stock keyless entry. That would be my guess for the culprit on door locks. Also if my memory serves correctly there is another connector up in the dash that connects all of the wiring from the drivers door to the main IP wiring. You should be able to follow the harness from the entry point coming through the side of the body up under the dash.
Its gotta be a simple connector problem though, I cant imagine anything was damaged if you were careful moving the dash.
After that you will need to check under the drivers side dash. There is a black box that has the relays for the stock keyless entry. That would be my guess for the culprit on door locks. Also if my memory serves correctly there is another connector up in the dash that connects all of the wiring from the drivers door to the main IP wiring. You should be able to follow the harness from the entry point coming through the side of the body up under the dash.
Its gotta be a simple connector problem though, I cant imagine anything was damaged if you were careful moving the dash.
DVDr
12-07-2007, 02:07 PM
Any chances you have the pictures ?
Im probably going to tackle this in a few days, and any help would be great.
Thanks alot
Im probably going to tackle this in a few days, and any help would be great.
Thanks alot
whheezzzz
12-08-2007, 01:40 PM
Great work through of HC replacement, appreciate your time you have taken to describe process for us all, and yea thos pics would be the iceing on the cake :) You can always tell its starting to get cold out when you here of peoples heater cores goin out :) mine im sure is very close to being pitched and all reference back to your info and soon be pics Thanks again :)
Scottm69s
09-19-2010, 10:47 PM
wow. thanks for the description. that really answers all my questions but do you happen to have the photos you mentioned? Im sure that would be a big help for a lot people with the Specific 1995 Model. Thanks!!!
MT-2500
09-20-2010, 06:50 AM
wow. thanks for the description. that really answers all my questions but do you happen to have the photos you mentioned? Im sure that would be a big help for a lot people with the Specific 1995 Model. Thanks!!!
There should be some info on it down in the S-10 how to section.
There should be some info on it down in the S-10 how to section.
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